Portland, OR vs Kansas City, MO
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Portland, OR and Kansas City, MO spend within 3.7% of each other per resident — $23,675 versus $22,820 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Portland, OR holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 63/100 (grade C) against 52/100 (grade C) for Kansas City, MO — a 11-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Kansas City, MO reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Portland, OR carries $1,574 per resident. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Portland, OR at $2,477 per resident and in Kansas City, MO at $1,309.
They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Portland, OR at 19% of total revenue, whereas Kansas City, MO relies most on other revenue at 835%.
Summary
Portland spends 3.7% more per capita than Kansas City ($855/person difference). Portland, OR has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 63/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $1,695 | $623 |
| Income Tax | $130 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $8,979 | $7 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,883 | $3,794 |
| Other | $7,916 | $11,150 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $1,700 | $119 |
| Highways & Roads | $139 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $3,607 | $3,018 |
| Hospitals | $2,893 | $1,849 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,477 | $1,309 |
| Housing | $3,694 | $4,681 |
| Sewerage | $630 | $0 |
| Utilities | $1,845 | $3,123 |
| Other | $6,689 | $8,721 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.